Bill is a native of Woodstock and has a wealth of experience in theatre, television and play writing, in addition to his missionary career. He and his wife Karen were overseas personnel for the United Church of Canada from January 1998 to June 2011.

First posted to Angola, they were forced to leave because of civil war and spent most of their overseas time working for the Christian Council of Mozambique. They have also worked for United Church partners in Ethiopia, South Africa, Kenya, and Japan.

In Mozambique Bill was communications consultant and worked in a video studio with young people producing songs, music videos, documentaries, and television dramas to educate Mozambicans about issues such as HIV/AIDS, poverty, crime, and domestic violence. Much of his time also was devoted to flood and drought relief and rural development.

Before leaving for Africa, Bill lived in Woodstock, taught at Western University and wrote 5 local-history plays which were produced in Oxford County, about the Benwell/Birchall murder, Joe Boyle, Aimee Semple MacPherson, Cassie Chadwick, and the Woodstock YM/YWCA. Karen and Bill raised their 2 daughters in Woodstock. Bill was a charter member of our Woodstock-Oxford Rotary Club.